Poire Enchantée: A Cinnamon-Spiced Cocktail to Sip by the Fire

Ingredients

• ½ oz. cinnamon syrup (recipe follows)
• ¾ oz. fresh lemon juice
• ¾ oz. St. George Spiced Pear Liqueur
• 1½ oz. vodka
• 2 dashes Fee Brothers walnut bitters

For the cinnamon syrup

• 2–3 cinnamon sticks
• 1 cup simple syrup (1:1 sugar to water)
• Steep cinnamon sticks in hot simple syrup for up to 20 minutes; do not boil.

Combine ½ oz. of cinnamon syrup with all other ingredients in a shaker. Shake for 15 seconds, strain into a glass of your choice, add a twist of lemon, and serve.

 

 

 

 

Here’s something to try instead of eggnog.

Horchata   (my version)

Ingredients List

• 1 cup uncooked short grain rice
• 4 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 6 cups cold water
• 2 cinnamon stick
• 1/4 cup piloncillo or Turbinado sugar
• 1/2 cup evaporated milk
• Up to a 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk (as needed)

Directions

1. Put rice, 1/2 the vanilla extract, 4 cups of water, both cinnamon sticks, and grated piloncillo into a container and let steep overnight or longer in the fridge.
2. Then, put in a blender and blend for up to three minutes.
3. Pour through a fine mesh strainer
4. Add the rest of the remaining ingredients (2 cups water, 2 tablespoons vanilla, 1/2 cup evaporated milk) and add sweetened condensed milk to sweeten, up to 1/2 a cup.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Making a smoothie isn’t as easy as tossing everything into a blender and turning it on.

Read HERE to find out why this is important. Then, get busy making those perfectly refreshing, nutritious smoothies.

1. First, layer in the lightest (or only) solids.
2. Then add your next batch of solids.
3. Add liquids last.

 

 

 

 

 

I can’t drink mimosas, so this is what I drink instead.

Pear Brandy Cocktail

• 8 oz champagne or sparkling wine (Prosecco or Cava)
• juice of 1/4 lemon
• 4 sugar cubes
• 4 oz pear brandy
• 1 ripe pear

Slice the unpeeled pear thinly enough that it is almost transparent. Put 2 slices in each glass.

Mix the champagne, lemon juice, and pear brandy in a cocktail shaker with a few ice cubes. Shake just enough to chill but not enough to melt the ice. Pour into the glasses with the pear slices, and add an ice cube or two if you’d like. If you want to get fancy, rim the glasses with lemon juice, then dip them in sugar. Makes 2 cocktails.

Pear Shrub Spritzer (non-alcoholic)

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 vanilla bean
• 2-3 ripe pears
• 6T apple cider vinegar
• club soda

In a saucepan, bring sugar, vanilla, and 1/2 cup water to a boil. Cut four very thin slices from the unpeeled pears and set them aside, and chop the rest. Add the chopped pear to the saucepan and simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand for up to an hour. You can mash the cooked pear if you want more pear flavor. Strain and stir in apple cider vinegar. Refrigerate until cold. To serve, divide the pear slices between 2 glasses. Pour chilled, strained mixture into glasses and top with club soda. Add a pretty ice cube or two. Serve a delighted guest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hot Cocoa Mix

Here is a recipe for hot cocoa mix with vanilla powder that you can make at home. The chocolate pudding mix is new to me, but it does add body because dry (skim) milk can taste thin.

• 3 1/3 cups dry (skim) milk
• 1 1/2-2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup powdered non-dairy creamer
• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1 small package instant chocolate pudding mix
• 1 tablespoon vanilla powder

1. Measure out non-fat dry milk, then sift or crush until smooth.
2. Add remaining ingredients. Sift together; mix well.
3. This recipe makes about 1.5 quarts of dry hot cocoa powder.
4. For the perfect cup of hot chocolate, mix 1/3 cup of the mix with 1 cup of boiling water.

This recipe is from Six Clever Sisters

 

 

Vegan Hot Cocoa Mix

Here is a recipe for vegan hot chocolate mix that you can make at home:

• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup coconut sugar or vegan powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla powder (optional)

1. Sift the cocoa powder and powdered sugar together in a small bowl.
2. Add the salt and vanilla powder (if using). Mix well and store in an airtight container.
3. When you’re ready to use, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of the dry mix to the bottom of a mug, depending on how rich you like your hot chocolate.
4. Add 1 cup of hot water or non-dairy milk and stir until the mix is dissolved.

This recipe is from Plant-Based on a Budget 

 

 

Or you can make American-style hot chocolate at home, for yourself, which is different from hot cocoa.

 

 

 

 

 

I love coffee. Have a mug every morning. Have tried many methods. My French press does an excellent job and isn’t expensive. I also have a Keurig because my man and I like coffee differently. Here are the best ways to make coffee at home. AND here’s what to do with the used grounds.